Advantages of Outsourcing PCB Assembly and Prototype Manufacturing

Prototype Manufacturing is about releasing test products for collecting feedback and making changes so not many changes are required when the company will start manufacturing the real product. For a startup business, it is not a smart move to buy high priced equipment to run PCB assembly and go for prototype manufacturing themselves. The best idea for a better start is to outsource PCB assembly and prototype manufacturing requirements from a trustworthy contract producer. You may explore your options as many companies are offering their services in the field. Here are some advantages of outsourcing the PCB assembly and prototyping. However, outsourcing 3D printing designs is as important as outsourcing prototypes.

1. Easy Quotations:

There are many websites where you can contact manufacturers who offer instant quote mechanism for PCB assembly and Prototyping. This can save your time in comparing different vendors. It will be easy for you to submit all the required details. Another advantage is that there is no risk of change in the quote afterward.

2. The Cost factor:

The manufacturing cost of a low quantity of boards will be high per board as compared to a high number. The reason behind this is assembly setup of board production is typically fixed. Thus, a high quantity order will be a better choice. To have a good deal in low quantity, some distributors gather the requirements of different clients and manufacture boards for them.

There are certain limitations in small quantity prototypes, such as thickness and choice of material are restricted. If your choice of the content does not match any other ordered material, the production cost will decrease. This allows the vendor more flexibility for manufacturing. But if you want to lead the pile and you don’t want to waste time, then you will need to spend more.

While outsourcing, keep in mind that your supplier can assemble all the packages used by your board. But sometimes some vendors cannot mount some specific IC. Therefore, it is best to keep in touch with your supplier.

3. No time wasted:

In addition to this, we can also go for another search of the vendor’s stock. Many vendors have in stock, an inventory of STM, and through-hole parts. It is a time-saving step to check the vendor’s stock rather than buying each piece. One more thing, you must mention your vendor, which part are you consigning. Also, note that the BOM uploaded by you must contain proper information about your consignment.

4. The importance of Production File:

We want to add up one more thing here. The production file is the key to better outsourcing. Therefore, the production file must be readable for the vendor. In the market, many vendors supply in-house PCB designs. If there is any problem in your file, you can design your board yourself by choosing in-house design services by the vendor. In such cases, many suppliers make faster adjustments to eliminate delays.

So, these are some important factors considered while outsourcing your prototype. However, you also need to know the types of prototyping before you decide to outsource. For that matter, you may explore the various available resources.